


A Convenient Encounter

by black mask rebellion (serenade_for_spectres)



Category: Persona 5
Genre: M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:42:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24475198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serenade_for_spectres/pseuds/black%20mask%20rebellion
Summary: Wrote this since the game didn’t give us Goro visiting the convenience store while the protagonist is working there ... so here’s a little snapshot.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 6
Kudos: 62





	A Convenient Encounter

Goro doesn’t go to his usual convenience store near his place to pick up dinner today. 

Instead, he finds himself in Shibuya's crowded Central Street after working later that usual. It would have been better to sit his ass down at the diner or Big Bang Burger, but he’s just not in the mood for greasy fast food or more crowds. He needs to get back home stat, but perhaps a quick onigiri would give him the energy he needed to get home in one piece.

So he ducks into the nearest convenience store, only to find two types of onigiri left over the shelves - tuna mayo and natto. He _loathes_ natto, no matter how nutritious it is, so tuna mayo it is. He grabs a bottle of black coffee on the way to the cashier, mind unwittingly wandering to a certain cafe. Maybe he should’ve given in to his impulse to drop by LeBlanc for a proper meal, paired with that delicious coffee instead of… one measly onigiri that expires in a few hours. 

But Akechi Goro is a busy person who doesn’t give in to impulses, unlike other people his age. He’s proud of himself of not letting his mental image of LeBlanc sway his resolve, especially because that image always involves a certain raven haired bespectacled boy who blends so well into the background for everyone else but to Goro, he’s like a human magnet, a big target sign flashing on his head. 

  
It’s a dark, twisted visual but it gives Goro butterflies nevertheless. Goro ignores it. He’s a professional. He’s not going to a silly daydream sway him -

“Welcome,” a voice snaps him out of his reverie. “Would you like a bag with that?” 

Goro opens his mouth to reply, and then it just stays hung open because it’s _him_ \- Kurusu Akira, standing behind the counter looking like a human flamingo. He smiles like he belongs in that gaudy outfit. 

“What are you doing here?” Goro nearly hisses in surprise. 

“Working,” Akira replies matter-of-factly. “Dude's gotta eat.”

“You live in a cafe Akira, I don’t think Sakura-san is making you starve,” Goro replies. It's supposed to come off as an offhanded remark.

“If he is, will you step in to save me?” Akira flashes him a lopsided grin, batting his eyes.

“As much as I’d love to, I’m not a lawyer-“ Goro says with his practiced little laugh.

“Just kidding. What can I say? I'm a growing boy,” Akira explains unconvincingly. 

Before Goro can reply, they snap their heads towards the adjacent register together, sensing a killing intent. A middle aged man clad in hot pink and who is clearly the manager is glowering at them, while expertly billing his own customer. Goro has been holding up the line, Akira seemingly unconcerned about the fact.

“If I get fired, it’s your fault,” Akira tells Goro conspiratorially, and then pulls back with a sunny smile, handing Goro his purchase. “That will be 286 yen, _sir_.”

Goro smiles with pursed lips, then flashes his IC card.

“Here’s your receipt,” Akira says, after Goro taps the card against the machine, handing him the slip of paper. But Akira doesn’t let go of it when Goro tries to take it. “My shift ends in fifteen minutes. I plan to head to the diner afterwards,” Akira says quietly, as if he’s reading the words off of Goro’s forehead. He offers a small smile, eyes hidden under the glare of his glasses.

Goro speed-walks out of the store in a huff. 

He fully intends to eat his stupid onigiri and head straight home. He definitely doesn’t loiter by the blinding pink convenience store, replying to ‘urgent emails’ from his teacher who has sent him a mountain of coursework to make up for the week he missed due to his detective work. 

And he most certainly doesn’t browse around the bookstore, telling himself this is stupid and he should just go home instead of allowing himself to get close to _him_ , especially when he’s - 

“Fancy seeing you here, detective-san.” 

Goro turns around with his mouth still glued to the bottle of vile coffee, and standing under the myriad glowing lights of Shibuya is one Kurusu Akira. He’s no longer a walking neon ‘punch me’ sign, instead he’s back in his casual ‘punch me’ clothes. Goro quickly fastens the cap of the plastic bottle.

“I didn’t know you worked at that convenience store,” Goro says. “Apologies if I surprised you.”

“Pretty sure it was the other way around,” Akira says with a soft (fond?) smile and Goro pins his stare to Akira’s bag instead.

“Don’t tell me you take your cat to work,” Goro says, with a little laugh. He hears a few choice words from the bag but he pretends to understand nothing. 

“He knows to be quiet while I’m working,” Akira grins, hefting the bag. “Come on, let’s go. Or do you want to stand around here all day?” 

“Ah actually…” Goro trails off.

“Oh?" Akira raises an eyebrow. "I thought you were still here because we were catching dinner,” Akira continues without inflection. He twirls a lock of hair out of habit. Goro has a couple of theories as to what they mean, one of them being that Akira’s not saying everything he means to.

This is stupid. If Goro had just gone home, Akira would have taken the hint. 

But Goro is _here_ and now, he’s going to turn Akira down. He has to. This is not part of his carefully planned recon mission of gathering intel on Akira.

But lately… there’s been a lot of unplanned developments when it comes to Akira, but Goro chalks it up to his own dedication to his mission.

After all, it’s all fake. Just an act.

Except when it isn’t. 

Goro sighs, resigning himself to the situation. 

There’s no way he could say no to those glittering eyes, even if Akira was looking away, trying to hide his disappointment. 

“Well, then…”

“Actually,” Goro repeats, and Akira turns to him with a mildly questioning look. “I was in the mood for some good curry,” Goro admits against his better judgement. “And good coffee. Instead of bottled sugar milk.” Goro makes a sour face at the bottle to emphasize his point. 

Akira's eyes crinkle as he laughs. “Yeah, that stuff is nasty," he agrees. "Especially when you know how good the _real_ thing can be.” Akira is gazing straight at Goro now and there’s no reflection on those false glasses to shield Goro from his piercing gaze. 

Sometimes Goro wonders why he bothers to keep up his act since Akira can probably see through it all.

Goro reminds himself it's for his own safety. And then proceeds to toss it into a bin, along with the unfinished bottle of nasty coffee.

“Shall we then?” Goro asks brightly, unable to stop a genuine grin from forming on his face. 

Akira gives him a lopsided smile of his own, and they leave the crowded streets of Shibuya behind, along with their masks.

[THE END?]

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! hope you enjoyed that. It's short, which is highly unlike my usual style but hopefully I'll be posting more of my longer works soon?


End file.
